The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday night? That one deserves the title, no questions asked.

The Colorado Avalanche stunningly traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night, and he was reportedly blindsided.

Mikko Rantanen's trade from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes shocked the NHL world on Saturday, but it didn't take him long to fit in with his new team.

Who won Friday night's blockbuster that saw Mikko Rantanen go from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes?

Welcome to NHL trade deadline season. The blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes surprised the hockey world Friday evening and has big takeaways.

The Hurricanes wasted no time making their major cup-chasing move. Despite the NHL Trade deadline being over a month away, Carolina added the most-significant firepower imaginable by acquiring Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche in a complicated three-way trade involving the Chicago Blackhawks.

The NHL's sixth-leading scorer heads to Carolina, while Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and picks head to Colorado, with Chicago also involved in the deal.

Laughlin said that he had predicted that Rantanen, a UFA after this season, would either sign with the Anaheim Ducks or the Columbus Blue Jackets. That's right, your Columbus Blue Jackets.

Strickland made a prediction on the "Cam & Strick" podcast on Tuesday, labeling it as "informed speculation," and saying that Mikko Rantanen could end up signing with the Oilers i

That's why the three-way deal that sent Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to Carolina, Martin Necas and Jack Drury to Colorado, and a third-round pick to Chicago is such a shocker.

Mikko Rantanen dropped a very strong message to the Colorado Avalanche shortly after being traded in an NHL blockbuster move to the Carolina Hurricanes.